Reactive carbamate surfactants: Synthesis, characterization, and improved rheological properties of hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide containing surfactant structures

Abstract In this study, stearyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEO) and 2‐isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IEM) are used to synthesize reactive carbamate surfactants (IEM‐nAEO), which are characterized through Fourier‐transform infrared spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Additionally, the influence of the AEO‐chain content on surface activity is analyzed, and the emulsifying ability of the surfactants is investigated. The surfactants exhibit high surface activities, and their emulsifying abilities enhance upon increasing the AEO‐chain content. Additionally, a novel hydrophobically associative polymer is synthesized by copolymerizing IEM‐10AEO, acrylamide, 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid, and acrylic acid; the rheological properties of its aqueous solution is analyzed. The modified and unmodified polyacrylamide solutions exhibit viscosity retentions of 97.73% and 87.07%, respectively, at 120°C at a shear rate of 170 s −1 . Thus, IEM‐10AEO polymerization improves the heat and shear resistance and storage and loss moduli of the polyacrylamide, indicating structural‐stability enhancement upon polymerization. Therefore, the modified polyacrylamide can be used to improve the heat and shear resistance of fracturing fluids and enhance oil recovery.